Ball pitcher



Aug. 25, 1942. M. A. KELLERMANN ET A1. 2,294,035

` BALL PITCHER Filed Oct. 8, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 '//AIIN IN VENTORS Aug. 25, 1942. M. A. KELLr-:RMANN ET AL 2,294,035

BALL PITCHER Filed oct. 8, 1941 2 Sheets-sheet Q,

7v :mgm m ENTORS WMM@ 7' Patente-d Aug. 25, 1942 BALL PITCHER Marvin A. Kellermann and Duane W. Price, Chicago, lll.

Application October 8, 1941, Serial No. 414,116

19 Claims.

This invention relates to a game apparatus, and more particularly .to a ball projecting mechanism to b-e employed in game apparatuses.

It is an object of this invention to provide an automatic ball pitching mechanism adapted to receive a ball from a supply source and to project the ball through a predetermined trajectory.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a ball projecting mechanism having an arm adapted to pitch a ball through a given path, a means for attracting and holding `the ball in the hand portion of the arm until the actual pitching movement takes place.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a ball projecting unit a novel manikin structure adapted to move into a ball receiving position and to return to normal position preparatory to pitching operation.

A still further object of .this invention is to provide in a ball projecting unit a novel means for conveying balls from a supply source to a ball pitching arm simultaneously with the movement of the arm into ball receiving position.

Other objects will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be understood best by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the ball projecting manikin in its relative position on a playbo-ard;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the ball projecting unit of our invention;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional detail View through the super-structure for the manikin illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail View through the ball pitching arm of the manikin and is taken substantially along line 5-4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal detail plan view, partly in section, of the super-structure of our ball projecting unit as seen from line 5 5 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional detail view of Kthe super-structure seen in Fig. 5 and is taken substantially along line B-B thereof;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional detail taken on the hip line of the manikin substantially along line 'I in Fig. 2,'

Fig. 8 is a vertical Sectional detail view through the ball elevating mechanism formed on a part of our unit as seen along line 8 8 in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 9 is an electrical diagram of the circuit employed in our unit and showing, diagrammatically, the unit in the course of movement of its intended operation.

Various .types of ball pitching means have heretofore been employed in amusement devices simulating a baseball game.

We are, therefore, aware of the fact that ball projectors as such are not new. However, our invention contemplates an automatic pitching device which will operate through a cycle of movements to simulate the grasping of a ball in the pitching hand and the actual swing of the pitching arm to propel the ball along a predetermined path of movement.

A devi-ce capable of performing the foregoing operation, so closely mimicking the movements of an actual baseball pitcher, gives the player of such game an opportunity to time the structure of a manually controlled batting instrument employed in the game.

The new unit is preferably mounted upon a ball playing surface I 0 with a base portion II constituting the pitchers box flush with the top surface of the board I. A manikin I2 is positioned on the base II and has its lower portion -or standard I3, from the hips down, formed integrally with the base II. The upper portion I4 of the body is pivotally arranged as at I5 on the portion I3 for rotative movement about the horizontal axis I5. suitably mounted for rotative movement within one leg I 6 of the lower portion I3 is a pair of driving shafts for the manikin. One of the shafts Il is of a sleeve form and has at its upper end a bevelled gear I8 meshing with a gear I9 which is pinned as at 20 to the frame 2| of the upper portion I4 forming the trunk of the manikin. The bevelled gear I9 is concentric with the horizontal axis I5 forming the hip line of the manikin and serves when the sleeve II is rotated, as hereinafter to be eX- plained, to rotate the upper portion I 4 of the body into the dotted line position, Fig. 2. 'I'he other vertically disposed shaft 22 is mounted for rotative movement within the sleeve I'I and has its upper end pivotally connected as at 23 in a yoke formation 24 `on an auxiliary shaft 25 adapted to rotate with the shaft 22 by means hereniafter to be explained. The pivotal connection 23 being coaxial with the axis I5 to permit the rotative movement of the body as aforesaid. The auxiliary shaft 25 is journaled as at 26 in the frame 2I and has a bevelled gear 21 at its upper end engageable with a bevelled gear 28 xedly attached to a horizontally arranged shaft or pin 29 at the shoulder line of the manikin I 2.

A novel pitching arm 30 is employed in the,

present unit and is adapted to be fixedly attached by a set screw 3l to the outer or free end of the shoulder pin 29 for rotation therewith. The arm 30 has a portion of its body cut away to provide a spool formation 32 about which electric wire 33 is wound to provide an electromagnetic coil 34 for the arm 35. The portion 35 of the arm about which the wiring 33 is coiled comprises a core for the electro-magnetic means and has extending therefrom a hand portion 35 which is recessed as at 31 to provide a seat formation for a ball to be projected by the pitcher.

The entire core 35 and hand 35 is split by means of a saw kerf 38 and disposed in the space provided by the saw kerf is a fibre insulating material 3S. The advantage of this non-conductive spacer element is found in the fact that the magnetism set up in the hand will bridge the rim portions 40 transversely of the hand thereby assuring a positive seating of a magnetically attractable ball in the recess 31.

The lower ends of the shafts I'l-22 extend beneath the base I I such that a cam lever 4I may be arranged at the lower end of the sleeve 11 for movement therewith, the shaft 22 extending beyond the lower end of the sleeve I'I to allow the mounting of a lever 42 thereon.

There is suspended from the base II by means of spacer bolts 43, a motor mounting plate 44 which carries on its under side a motor 45, the drive shaft 46 of which extends above the mounting plate 44 into a boss formation 4l' formed in the under side of the base II. The shaft 4G of the motor 45 is adapted to rotate at a relatively slow speed by reason of a reduction gear unit (not shown) forming a part of the motor 45. Each of the levers 4I and 42 is normally urged into the position shown in Fig. by spring means 5I-52 respectively. The lever 4I having `a cam extension 48 adapted to bear against the hub 49 of a cam 50 hereinafter referred to as the body cam. The cam lever 42 has an extending arm 53 carrying a roller 54, which roller 54 normally engages the lower for mation 55 of a cam 55, hereinafter referred to as the arm cam.

A main control device is indicated at 57 and constitutes a caming disc 58 xed to the motor shaft 46 for rotation therewith and having a peripheral edge recessed at certain intervals for the purpose of controlling the cycle of operation of the motor. The main control also consists of a pair of switches operatively arranged with respect to the camming disc 58. A motor switch indicated at 59 has an end portion 6I) of one contact arm 6I engaging the peripheral edge of the camming disc 58 and this switch 59 is normally disposed as shown in Fig. 5 with the cam portion 60 thereof seated in a stop recess 62 formed on the camming disc so that the contact arms of the switch 59 are in broken circuit condition. The other switch element 63 employed in the control means has a cam formation 64 which engages the peripheral edge of the camming disc 58 and normally rests as seen in Fig. 5 on a secondary level 55 so that the switch 53 will assume broken circuit condition.

There is provided in the present unit a ball elevating device S5 and this elevating device comprises a tube formation 61, the upper end of which extends through the base II to provide a supply pocket $3V on the top surface of the base II adjacent the standard I3. A plunger 69 is disposed within the tube 61 and is normally urged into the lowermost area of the tube by spring means 'lil so that the upper end of the plunger G9 is normally disposed to receive a ball II from a gravity feed chute 'I2 extending from the upper surface of the play field or from any other ball retaining means as desired. The spring means 'I0 is anchored on the elevating device as at 'I3 and has its opposite end attached to pin means 'I4 extending from the elevator plunger 69. This pin means i4 is adapted to move in a slot formation 'i5 formed in one wall of the tube 61 and has attached thereto one end 'I6 of a cable 11 trained over suitable pulley means 'I8 and having its opposite end attached to the free end 'I9 of the cam lever 4I which is associated with the body moving sleeve IT.

Having thus described the construction of our new ball projecting unit, reference is now made to Figs. l and 9 for the purpose of describing the operation of the same.

When a player approaches the game, the manikin is normally positioned as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the pitching arm 30 in ball pitched position, as shown in full lines. A suitable starting switch is provided to initially energize the motor, such starting switch is indicated at 86 and is normally accessible to the player whereby he need merely press a button 8l to direct current from the main line 82 into the motor 45. Such initial operation of the motor will rotate the drive shaft 45 counter-clockwise (Figs. 2 and 5) whereupon the recessed formation 62 on the camming disc 58 will ride out from under the cammed end Sil of the switch 59 to dispose the latter in circuit making condition as seen in Fig. 9. The switch 5S then completes circuit from the line 82 to the motor 45' so that the motor will continue to operate without further use of the push button switch 38. Within a short secondary movement thereafter the switch 63 will be caused to ride on the high level 83 of the camming disc 58 to dispose the switch 63 in closed circuit condition. The switch 63 is connected in circuit with the electro-magnet 34 in the arm 35 through a flexible cable 34 through which the electromagnet 34 will become energized during the initial rotation of the drive shaft' 46.

As seen in Fig. 5, within the rst quarter rotation of the shaft 45, the body cam 50 will urge the cam lever 4I into the dotted line position and such movement will be imparted to the sleeve IT to rotate the latter clockwise (Fig. 7) to impart a like rotative movement to the bevelled gear I3 whereupon the upper frame 2| and body I4 thereto attached will swing into the dotted line position (Fig. 2) to dispose the already magnetized hand 33 over the delivery opening 68 of the ball elevating means 65. Simultaneous with the rotative movement of the body I4 through the movement of the cam lever 4I, the cable 11 attached to the lever 4I will be drawn over the pulley arrangement I8 to lift the plunger 69 against the action of spring IB thereby positioning the ball 'II at the delivery opening G3 at the moment the hand reaches that position as aforesaid. By reason of the magnetic characteristic of the hand, the ball will be attracted into the seat formation 31 and will be retained thereby through the magnetic iield created therein as the body returns to an erect position by reason of the body cam continuing its rotative movement and permitting the lever 4I to return by its spring 5I to normal position.

Just prior to the upper body portion returning to fully erect position, the arm cam 56'will have.

commenced to bear against the roller 54 on the cam lever 42 to rock the latter clockwise thereby rotating the shaft 22-25 and through the bevelled gears 21'-28 rotate the shoulder pin 29 counterclockvvise (Fig. 2), the hand and the arm 30 swinging backward toward ball pitching position just as though the manikin were winding up for the pitch. As the arm in its movement toward pitching position reaches the point indicated at S, the camming disc 5B will have rotated to a point where the cam 64 of the switch 63 will ride into the recessed formation B2, thus breaking the circuit through the switch 63 to deenergize the electro-magnet 64 thereby demagnetizing the hand 36, the ball thereafter resting in the cup formation by gravity.

Continued operation of the arm cam 5S causes the arm 30 to move the balance of the distance toward pitching position indicated at P (Fig. 2) in which position the roller member 54 will be about to be released by the free end portion 55 of the cam 56. As the point 55 passes from beneath the roller 511 the spring means 52 is tensioned and by reason of disengagement of the roller 54 by the cam 56 the cam arm 122 will be returned abruptly to its initial position by the spring 52, there being a suitable bumper S5 on the base H to lessen the shock of such abrupt return of the lever d2. The quick swinging movement of the lever l2 back toward normal position will, through the shaft 22-25-29, cause the pitching arm 30 to quickly swing back toward ball pitched position such that the centrifugal force created by such movement will cause the now free ball to be projected from the hand along a predetermined trajectory indicated at T toward the batting instrumentality or any other suitable game playing means employed therewith. Thereafter, the motor 45 will be deenergized by reason of the switch 59 again assuming its relationship with the stop recess 62 in the camming disc 58. The unit now being ready for repeated operation by manipulation of the push button 8l.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modication without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variation and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A ball pitching device comprising a body having an arm portion movable into and out of ball pitching position, means for magnetizing said arm whereby a portion thereof will attract and hold a magnetic ball during movement of the arm into pitching position, means for demagnetizing said arm at a point adjacent the limit of its movement into sai-:l pitching position, means for moving' the arm into said pitching position and for releasing said arm for movement in anV opposite direction toward pitched position, and spring means for moving said arm in said opposite direction upon release of said arm by said arm moving means.

2. A ball pitching device comprising a body having an arm portion movable into and out of ball pitching position, means for magnetizing said arm whereby a portion thereof will attract and hold a magnetic ball during movement of the arm into pitching position, means for demagnetizing said arm at a point adjacent the limit of its movement into said pitching position, means for moving the arm into said pitching position and for releasing said arm for movement in an opposite direction toward pitched position, and spring means for moving said arm in said opposite direction upon release of said arm by said arm moving means, that portion of said arm to which the ball is attracted being recessed to provide a seat for said ball during the aforesaid movement of said arm.

3. A ball pitching device comprising a body having an arm portion movable into and out of ball pitching position, means for magnetizing said arm whereby a portion thereof will attract and hold a magnetic yball during movement of the arm into pitching position, means for demagnetizing said arm at a point adjacent the limit of its movement into said pitching position, means for moving the arm into said pitching position and for releasing said arm for movement in an opposite direction toward pitchedv position, and spring means for moving said arm in said opposite direction upon release of said arm by said arm moving means, that portion of said arm to which the ball is attracted being recessed to provide a seat for said ball during the aforesaid movement of said arm, said seat serving to support said ball on said arm during its movement from pitching to substantially pitched position.

4. A ball pitching device comprising a body having an arm portion movable into and out of ball pitching position, means for magnetizing said arm whereby a portion thereof will attract and hold a magnetic ball during movement of the arm into pitching position, means for demagnetizing said arm at a point adjacent the limit of its movement into said pitching position,

means for moving the arm into said pitching position and for releasing said arm for movement in an opposite direction toward pitched position, and spring, means for moving said arm in said opposite direction upon release of said arm by said arm moving means, that portion of said arm to which the ball is attracted being recessed to provide a seat for said ball during the aforesaid movement of said arm, said recess serving to support said ball on said arm when said arm is demagnetized by said arm demagnetizing means.

5. In a ball pitching device comprising a body having a fixed nether portion and a movable trunk portion, an arm movably mounted on the runk portion, and having a recessed end portion, spring means normally urging said arm into pitched position, means for moving said trunk portion into a bent position, means for magnetizing said arm during the foregoing movement whereby said recessed end portion will attract and retain a magnetic ball during movement of the arm into pitching position, means for demagnetizing said arm at a point adjacent said pitching position, means for moving the arm into said pitching position and adapted to release the latter for movement in an opposite direction by said spring means.

6. In a ball pitching device comprising a body having a fixed nether portion and a movable trunk portion, an arm movably mounted on the trunk portion, and having a recessed end portion, spring means normally urging said arm into pitched position, means for moving said trunk portion into a bent position, means for magnetizing said arm during the foregoing movement whereby said recessed end portion will attract and retain a magnetic ball during movement of the arm into pitching position, means for demagnetizing said arm at -a point adjacent said pitching position, means for moving the arm into said pitching -position and adapted to release the latter for movement in an opposite direction by said spring means, ball guiding means adapted to direct a ball to said hand simultaneous with said movement of said trunk into a bent position.

'7. In a ball pitching device comprising a body having a fixed nether portion and a movable trunk portion, an arm movably mounted on the trunk portion, and having a recessed end portion, spring means normally urging said arm into pitched position, means for moving said trunk portion into a bent position, means for magnetizing said arm during the foregoing movement whereby said recessed end portion will attract and retain a magnetic ball during movement of the arm into pitching position, means for demagnetizing said arm at a point adjacent said pitching position, means for moving the arm into said pitching position and adapted to release the latter for movement in an opposite direction by said spring means, and ball elevating means operatively related to said means for moving said trunk whereby to deliver a ball to said recessed end portion of said movable arm when the trunk moves to bent position as aforesaid.

8. In an amusement device, a ball projecting unit comprising a body having a iixed lower portion and a movable upper portion, mea-ns mounting said upper portion for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, an arm mounted on said upper portion and having a recessed hand portion adapted to move through a pitching arc, spring means normally retaining said arm -in pitched position, ball delivery means for delivering a magnetically attractable ball to a point adjacent said fixed lower portion, means for moving said upper portion into a bent position with the hand portion of said arm adjacent the ball delivery means, electromagnetic means in said arm, means for energizing said electromagnetic means when said body is bent as aforesaid, means for deenergizing said electromagnetic means when said arm substantially reaches pitching position, means for moving the arm into pitching position and for releasing said arm for movement back toward pitched position by said spring means.

9. In an amusement device, a ball projecting unit comprising a body having a fixed lower portion and a movable upper portion, means mounting said upper portion for pivotal movement aboutl a horizontal axis, an arm mounted on said upper portion and having a Vrecessed hand portion adapted to move through a pitching arc, Spring means normally retaining said arm in pitched position, ball delivery means for delivering a magnetically attractable ball to a point adjacent said fixed lower portion, means for moving said upper portion into a bent position with the hand portion of said arm adjacent the ball delivery means and simultaneously effecting operation of said ball delivery means, electromagnetic means in said arm` means for energizing said electromagnetic means when said body is bent as aforesaid, means for deenergizing said electromagnetic means when said arm substantially reaches pitching position, means for moving the arm into pitching position and for releasing said arm for movement back toward pitched position by said spring means.

10. In combination with a ball pitching device comprising a manikin having a body bendable at the hips, a ball pitching arm on said body and adapted to move with the same and to move relative to said body in ball pitching fashion, magnetic means on said arm for attracting metal balls to the hand portion thereof, a ball elevating means adapted to move a ball from a lower level to a point adjacent said manikin, means operatively associated with said body and said ball elevating means whereby to simultaneously move said body and said ball to bring the hand and the ball into contact with each other.

11. In a device of the class described having a ball playing surface and a ball pitching unit mounted thereon, the combination of a movable body on said unit, means for pitching a ball on said body and movable therewith and including a magnetic hand, ball elevating means suspended from said surface and adapted to lift a magnetically attractable ball from a lower level to a point adjacent said body, and means for moving a ball to said position aforesaid, said last named means ccacting with said body to move the latter into a bent position to dispose said hand into ball receiving position at said elevating means.

12. In a device of the class described having a ball playing surface and a ball pitching unit mounted thereon, the combination of a movable body on said unit, means for pitching a ball on said body and movable therewith and including a magnetic hand, ball elevating means suspended from said surface and adapted to lift a magnetically attractable ball from a lower level to a point adjacent said body, and means for moving a ball to said position aforesaid, said last named means coacting with said body to move the latter into a bent nosition to dispose said hand into ball receiving position at said elevating means, spring means urging said ball pitching means into pitched position and means for moving said ball pitching means against the action of said spring and to release said pitching means for movement toward pitched position by said spring whereby to release said ball from said hand.

13. In an automatic ball pitching unit comprising a manikin mounted on a board and having a body bendable at the hips, spring means normally urging the body of said manikin into an erect position, an arm mounted on said manikin for pivotal movement, spring means normally urging said arm into ball pitched condition, means for moving said arm and for bending said manikin at the hips, said means comprising a shaft having drive connection with said arm and a rotatable sleeve arranged coaxially on the shaft and having drive connection with said body, cam means on said shaft and sleeve beneath the board and adapted to rotate said shaft and sleeve in timed relation against the action of each of said spring means, motor means for driving said cam means, and manually controlled switch means for initially energizing said motor means.

14. In an automatic ball pitching unit comprising a manikin mounted on a board and having a body bendable at the hips, spring means normally urging the body of said manikin into an erect position, an arm mounted on said mamkin for pivotal movement, spring means normally urging said arm into ball pitched condition,

means for moving said arm and for bending said manikin at the hips, said means comprising a shaft having drive connection with said arm and a rotatable sleeve arranged coaxially on the shaft and having drive connection with said body, cam means on said shaft and sleeve beneath the board and adapted to rotate said shaft and sleeve in timed relation against the action of each of said spring means, motor means for driving said cam means, and manually controlled switch means for initially energizing said motor means, control means for said motor arranged to permit one cycle of operation of said cam means for the purpose aforesaid upon each operation of said manually controlled switch means.

15. In an amusement device, a ball projecting unit comprising in combination, a standard arranged on a ball playing surface, a body pivotally mounted on said standard and arranged for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, a f

rotatable shaft arranged in said body parallel to said horizontal axis, a magnetic arm having a recessed hand portion carried by said shaft and adapted to swing through an arc to simulate the pitching of a ball, spring means normally urging said arm to ball pitched position, means for rotating said body into a bent position with the hand portion of said arm disposed adjacent the surface of the board to receive a ball therefrom and means for moving said arm to ball pitching position against the action of said spring means and for releasing said arm for movement toward said pitched position by said spring means.

16. In an amusement device, a ball projecting unit comprising in combination, a standard arranged on a ball playing surface, a body pivotally mounted on said standard and arranged for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, a rotatable shaft arranged in said body parallel to said horizontal axis, a magnetic arm having a recessed hand portion carried by said shaft and adapted to swing through an arc to simulate the pitching of a ball, spring means normally urging said arm to ball pitched position, means for rotating said body into a bent position with the hand portion of said arm disposed adjacent the surface of the board to receive a ball therefrom and means for moving said arm to ball pitching position against the action of said spring means and for releasing said arm for movement toward said pitched position by said spring means, means for magnetizing said arm, Whereby to attract a ball to said hand portion, and means for rendering said magnetizing means inoperative as the arm reaches pitching position as aforesaid.

17. In a ball pitching device, a vertical standard, lever means arranged on said standard and adapted to swing through an arc from -pitched position to pitching position, said lever having a concaved hand portion adapted to receive a ball, ball delivery means arranged to supply a magnetically attractable ball to a vpoint adjacent said standard, means for moving said arm to dispose the hand portion thereof to said point adjacent said standard, and means for magnetizing said arm and the hand portion thereof Whereby to attract and retain a ball supplied as aforesaid.

18. In a ball pitching device, a vertical standard, lever means arranged on said standard and adapted to swing through an arc from pitched position to pitching position, said lever having a concaved hand portion adapted to receive a ball, ball delivery means arranged to supply a magnetically attractable ball to a point adjacent said standard, means for moving said arm to dispose the hand portion thereof to said point adjacent said standard, means for magnetizing said arm and the hand portion thereof whereby to attract and retain a ball supplied as aforesaid, means for urging said arm into pitched position, means for moving said arm into pitching position and for releasing the same for abrupt movement back to pitched position, and means for demagnetizing said arm at pitching position.

19. In a device of the lclass described, a ball pitching unit comprising a manikin mounted on a play board and having a body bendable at the hips, an arm mounted on said body for pivotal movement into and out of ball pitching position, means for moving said body and said arm as aforesaid, said means comprising a shaft drivingly :connected to said arm and a sleeve drivingly connected to said body, said shaft andl sleeve extending through said 'playboard and having lever means arranged thereon beneath the board, spring means on each of said levers for urging the same into a normal position, cam means engageable with each of said levers to move the latter against the action of said spring means whereby to eiect a bending of the body to position the arm thereof in ball receiving condition and to pivot said arm toward pitching position, motor means for driving said cam, control means for said motor and movable with said cam means and means for initially energizing said motor to effect operation of said control means.

MARVIN A. KELLERMANN,

DUANE W. PRICE. 

